Some questions about staying at PPH

[emacat]

It will be our first on-site stay Dec 15-20th at PPH. As the time clicks down, I have a few ??? I'm hoping some for some answers on-

Firstly, when going into DL in the morning, can we take the monorail in at open or later in the day? Or do we have to go to the front gates?

Where was the elevator that people don't seen to use as much?

Is there (I would presume...) a gift shop on site for tylenol, waters, snacks, etc? Or should we stop at a store on the way?

When do the carolers go around the hotels? My daughter really wants to see them.

Thanks!

 

[sonnyjane]

As far as the monorail goes, it is not really a great way to enter the parks. Typically they let people in the main gates up to 30 minutes earlier than park opening to hang out on Main St., whereas the monorail doesn't start running until official park opening, if not a few minutes later. Also, it drops you off in Tomorrowland, which isn't necessarily the most convenient place for all touring plans. It's a good way to exit the parks, but not necessarily to enter. Also, because you're staying at PPH, it's much faster to cut through the Grand Californian lobby, so the monorail isn't really on your route if you know what I mean?

I'm not sure what elevator you're talking about. If you mean the glass elevator, it is in the lobby near the other elevators, but I always took the regular ones.

They do have a convenience store. Things will obviously be more expensive there than somewhere else, but I wouldn't go out of your way to buy things elsewhere if you weren't planning to make other stops.

Sorry I don't know about carolers.

 

[low saturn]

When do the carolers go around the hotels? My daughter really wants to see them.

Thanks!

The last couple trips there at Christmas, the carolers made the rounds. We stayed at the Paradise Pier one year then the Grand Californian the next. Both time we saw the carolers.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Yes, you can take the monorail in at park opening.

The Downtown Disney monorail station is a very short walk from the PPH and much faster than cutting through the Grand Californian and going to the front gates.

Just head out of the back doors of the PPH, go right and follow the walkway to the parking lot. Walk through the parking lot and follow the walkway on the right (the walkway is literally next to the monorail support beams) past the Lego store. The monorail station is straight across from the Lego store. It's about a 4 minute walk.

If you go to MSN.com maps, and birdseye view it, you'll easily be able to see the route.

As far as whether it is more convenient for your family to use the monorail or to go down Main Street is a personal preference depending on your touring plan and what it is your family likes to do. I have boys, so for us the monorail was our usual preference because their favorite attractions are in Tomorrowland. That's not to say we don't go through the front gates from time to time. It would just depend on where we wanted to start the day in the park.

Also, if you have a little one in a stroller, I wouldn't recommend the monorail. You have to take the baby and everything out of the stroller and fold the stroller up before you will be allowed to board, which we found to be somewhat of a inconvenience for multiple reasons. Luckily our boys are well past the stroller stage.

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Right now monorail doesnt start running until 10 am Mon-Fri due to DCA construction of BVS.

 

[sonnyjane]

Right now monorail doesnt start running until 10 am Mon-Fri due to DCA construction of BVS.

Oh yeah I forgot about that! Thanks for the reminder.

 

[emacat]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! We'll figure out the monorail as we go, it sounds like.

We're so used to staying at the Hojo, this is a bit of a new thing for us.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Right now monorail doesnt start running until 10 am Mon-Fri due to DCA construction of BVS.

Oh shoot, I did not realize that. Thanks for mentioning it!

I guess if you want to be in the park before 10am during the week, the only way is through the front gates. On the bright side, you get to see all the wonderful holiday decorations on Main Street every morning to start your day!